These Are The 25 Best TV Theme Songs Of All Time

There are many noble quests in life. Trying to cure cancer. Trying to end poverty. Trying to rank the best television theme songs of all-time. This article is primarily focused on the third of those things. TV theme songs are becoming increasingly less relevant. This is due to the fact that television episodes are seeing more and more time stolen away for ads, and cutting down theme songs is the easiest way to make that time back up. The TV theme song is a cultural touchstone that should not be lost, however. Here are the 25 best of all-time.

A quick note of explanation before we get to the list. In order to be considered, a song had to be primarily thought of as a TV theme song. As such, shows like Bosom Buddies and Dave’s World, with their Billy Joel cover theme songs, were not considered. Additionally, this is not a list of the best songs, but the best TV theme songs. That is to say, while some of these songs would feel odd to listen to in a vacuum, before watching an episode of television, they just make sense. If they can evoke the essence of the show, so much the better.

25. Space Ghost Coast to Coast

This parody of a talk show was the giant leap for Cartoon Network that paved the way for Adult Swim. In addition to setting the stage for absurdist, anti-humor on the network, it also gave its theme song over to free jazz guitarist Sonny Sharrock. The song, “Hit Single,” was a real rocker, and, unfortunately, one of the last things Sharrock recorded before he died. In his honor, Space Ghost Coast to Coast did an episode that was just 15 minutes of his music. It was far from the weirdest thing they ever did.

Although my username implies otherwise, I don’t believe Miami Vice deserves the #1 spot (although I will say the version posted here is a mix of both the version used in the pilot, which is the full extended version, and the shorter version used in every episode thereafter). No, my #1 spot goes to this (with “Who’s the Boss” coming in 2nd and “Three’s Company in 3rd”):

Someone said KITH before I could think of it, but that’s the biggest omission.

Growing Pains (simply for the earwormness of it)
Game of Thrones
Dead Like Me
Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood
NYPD Blue
All in the Family
The Jeffersons
I Dream of Jeannie
Monday Night Football (the class DUN-DUN-DUN-DUUUUN instrumental)
Star Trek: Voyager
ER
Street Hawk
Newhart
Nature
Too Close for Comfort
Jeopardy!

I appreciate the intent of this list, intro songs and sequences are a dying art form that needs to be preserved both in television and video games. BUT…

No Star Trek (select a series, they’re all worthy), no Batman The Animated Series, no Gargoyles? Or Ducktales (or any other Disney series Chip N’ Dale’s Rescue Rangers at the top)? Law & Order? Transformers? Beverly Hills 90210? The Beverly Hill Billies? Green Acres? The Flintstones?